The Opelousas courier., 1887-10-08
How Samuel ID. McEnery
Justly Earned the
Title.
A Record of Constant Work and
Brilliant Achievement.
ssHe Who Maketh Two Blades of
Grass Grow Where One Grew
Before Is Greater Than He
Who Taketh Cities"

lteye6 Governor? 4Ieb ttl6 lACtS dloHCts
Gov. McEnery succeeded to the Governor
ship on the death of Gov. Witt on Oct. II,
1881. Owing to the fact that the appropria
tions by the Legislature had largely ex
ceeded the revenues, the financial affairs o.
the State were in such a condition that a spe
cial session of the General Assembly becam,
necessary. Accordingly, Gov. McEnerI
called it together Dec. S. In his message Il
thaf body thus early in his administration hi
showed hisisolicitude toward the levee in
terests of the State, and insisted that the full
amount allowed by the Constitution lone
milD should be appropriated by the Legisla.
ture for levee purposes in addition to &C
much of the swamp land and drainage fund
as was not needed to maintain the office of
Register Of State Lands.
This policy in5favor of the constructor
and maintenance of the levees SO early in
augurated has been steadily followed to the
present time, with what benefits to the State
let the record show. Before the policy could
be fairly put in operation Qevee building for
the season being practically at an end, owing
to the rise Of the. river, when Gov. McEnery
assumed the .g~ubernatorial chair the great
food of 1882 came upon the State, causing
widespread disaster, end q direct money loss
in crops destroyed, stock drowned, farms
washed away,etc., of aot less than SIS, 600,
600, thus ~abundant1y justifying the Gov
ernor'E position that every available dollar
that the State could raise for the purpose
should be devoted to building and strength
ening the levees. The Governor was prompt
to come to the relief of the sufferers by the
food, and although there was no relief fund
available. he did net hesitate to contract
obligations for food alAfpther relief for the
u~nfortunatss. His action ma 1.-THE universal
approval of the people, and EfAz promptly
ratified BY the Legislature whenSShat body
met IN May.
State, leaving widespread desolation and
ruin in Its track, when the Legislature as
Bembled. In ms messageShe Governor aga7S
strongly urged the necessities of the levees,'
and insisted that it was the duty of the gen.
eral goyeEaHaent to come to the assistance of
the State Ia the matter, holding that 1t was q
case in which favorable action IN the part of
Congress was not only justified. but impera-
tive.
However, Gov. McEnery
DID NOT WATT FOR FEDERAL AID.
He recognized that the surest help was SELF
help a bent every energy to rebuild the
Droksn levees and put them in order for the
high water Of 1883. He succeeded meas
urably; but the food of 1852 had been so
destructive, sweeping away hundreds of
miles of levees. that the full accomplish
ment Of the work was impossible with the
limited means at command. @he flood of
1888 came, and, although less disastrous than
the one that had preceded it, proved very
destructive, and caused those who saw their
properly again swept away to despair OF re-
lief from the invading watefs. Gov. Nc
Emery, however, was only nerved to greater
efforts to rebuild the ievees and avert from
the State the disastrous consequences OF
overflow. de saw that what was to be done
must be done quickly in. order to take ad-
vantage Of the ls~vee-building season. He
also saw that the funds at command Of the
State were entirely Inadequate to the purpose
IN view. WHAT WIS TO be done? The Legis-
lature would not meet in regular session for
> year, and there was q strong popular senti-
ment against q special session. I'm this
the Governor determined 70 ap-
peal g people themselves; He, therefore,
Baton Rouge June Is, 1883, md to be
composed of delegates selected by the vari-
pns police jnries and the City. Council OF
Rev Orleans. The object Of the conYen-
maintaining, repairing and building Of
leyees; the inauguration of . pfacti-
cal system to prevent and close creYasses:
ne Adoption Of 4 plan to prevent the cutting
Tor highways and iIakhe means to be EN-
pioyed for this Improvement OF the naviga-
hon OF the Mississippi river.'
The convention, famous as
LEvEE CONVENTION,
met afhe time appointed. II was composed
Of the Representative men of the State, its
p~erSo'Gde1. possessing IN influence such as has |
been welded by the membership of few
bodies in the State. The moral support of
of the entire State, and this support vas
freely and INTERESTINGLY @ndered the Gov
ernor IN the emergency which had called the
into life.
o y. M'ENERY's VIEWS
q to the course to be pursued to save the
IN effective leFee system, were fully set forth
n q message he sent to the convention. This /
message was as follows:
~xEcUTxyED ~EPARTMENT. STATE or LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge, June IS. 1883.
1GentleIaen-The people of Louisiana are
more vitality interested in tho construc5ion Of
eyees than IN any other public works, With
'ut On effectlal lsyee system oug. valuable
.nd pIodlctIys allpEial lands will become
sle to issue a call for a Leyee Convention, to
Meet in this city to-day, the 18th Of June.
Distinguished engineers ard citizens from
State have been invited TO attend, and
re present 70 participate and assist in your
deliberations.
yoHr attention is invited to the specific
Ibjects for gHf8tch this convention Ia called.
4. The inauguration oF d plan To prevent
ne cutting ct leyees and the use Of them as
highways.
u y needles to point out the dangers
lassage ways and the use Of them al high
Inegs are known to every one
resides Ia a Hvee district. The
ut Foadways, are not closed until
nd careless manner. Tie use 81 t ihasai Isyees
. ruadNays has been one means by which
svees nave been reduced to fheir present
sight overseeing one foot below the extreme
In She abaencs Of legialatior ADEQUATE to
etnedy this evil, you are respectfully re-
10 provide such local means through
cal authorities as viii prevent it until the
uitable legislation Will undoubtedly be
Maintaining and repair of levees.
sLoTisiana has TO receive the drainage Of
assed over the surface of the State or
1rough q line OF leFees coafning the river
, iNs channel. That il ID practicable 40 to
5alllIs snis vast yoIufle ISagb experience has ,
saTEz ExTrRE xzNEs ]
a4 20 be constructed with sufficient height /
nA base to withstand the water. I
lie af10Ii1t OF money REQUIRED To do thfB l
~ present beyond the financial condition (
z State, nut the amount required is noti Z
|, laEge go 20 ne beyond TIE hopes of Taaiiz. I
There are 1925 miles of lsyse ii this !
ppi. There Ii d necessity f0r cIosinr Mn I
sps ana 81 rebuilding the Ashton, Diamond \
Bougare and MorganzA IBrees. 4
Inc SAP pit McEsanza will always threaten i
g oeost texee. The .vater going through I
ae creYasse extends through Points U6lgree Z
Qtner PARISHES. reaching the base of TIE /
s06e lsxee EefOfe the water reaches IL irI 4
oar. 4he destruction OF the Egoff IayHa 4
PUG pe 9 calamity almost beyond caleuia-
lie 3nzqak at Ashton every year causes 1
ore pc A6ss NaTnags. Il has made unpfoii1e- &
Ke 1t2e xaAns6le lands on the TensaA and IT. d
Eel5e9vs y aarge extent af country The B
eeiug oI thus sap is nlsc IL absolute xeces- Z
az e kae mssE9xnmentpS u~asiaaizono ST fhe d
DFarlmR Aha yaaER lit las beeaappen a
2aA 0sTs tsays Formed nelow IL making III q
sBat aoleFee Mztsm Gin BIZ psffect ii t 4